Adjustable knockdown brace.



-No. 779,079. PAITENTED JAN. 3, 1905.

I e. M. 1). HEARD.

ADJUSTABLE KNOGKDOWN BRACE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2,1904.

UNTTED STATES Patented January 3, 1905.

PATENT Fries.

ADJUSTABLE KNOCKDOWN BRACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 779,079 dated January 3, 1905.

Application filed July 2, 1904. Serial No. 215,096.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. D. HEARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Painesville, in the county of Lake and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Knockdown Braces, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that form of braces known as knockdown braces, and has the additional provision of adjustability to increase or diminish the sweep thereof.

In the drawings, in which like numbers of reference denote like parts wherever they occur, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved brace. Fig. 2 is arear elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail in side elevation of one of the connecting parts. Fig. 4is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 5is a top plan view thereof. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are details of amodification of the said connecting means inside, front, and top views, respectively; and Fig. 9 is a top plan view showing another modification.

1 is the top; 2, the sweep-arms; 3, the bandle, and 4 the chuck-holder. The chuck-holder maybe of any ordinary or desired form, but is illustrated in the drawings as having the jaws 5, the revolubly-adjusting drum 6, the pawls? and 8', and the rotary cam 9 .for engagement with said pawls to hold either of same out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel 10 to convert the brace from a bit to a ratchetbrace, or vice versa.

The chuck-holder 4 has suitably and stronglyattached thereto at its top the elbow 11 or other similar part,having a perforation pierced horizontally therethrough at 12 to receive the lower sweep-arm 2. Similar but detachable elbows 13 and 14 connect the handle 3 to the upper and lower sweep-arms, and a similar elbow 15 connects the top 1 to the upper sweeparm 2. It will be observed that the elbow 15 angles to the right, while the elbows 13 and 14 angle to the left. Both arms of the elbows 13, 14, and 15 have perforations therethrough, one in each being vertical, While the other is obviously and necessarily horizontal or approximately at right angles to the former. In each instance said perforation extends entirely through the arm in which same is located.

This is materially important as relates to the horizontal perforations in elbows 11, 13, 14, and 15 in order to allow of the adjustment of the sweep, hereinafter to be described. It is not necessary that the vertical perforations in the elbows 13, 14, and 15 shall pass entirely through said arms; but from the manner of constructing said elbows, to be hereinafter set forth in detail, it will be obvious that it is convenient for them to do so.

The elbows 13, 14, and 15 are practically of like construction and the description of one, as illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, will suffice for all. It will be understood that in these figures the elbow 15 is more particularly illustrated.

The elbow 15 is composed of a pair of plates 16 and 17, firmly bolted together by the rivets 18. These plates 16 and 17 may be either so formed as to be slightly sprung apart in their arms 19 and 20, (which contain the perforations 21 and 22,) or the hexagonal stem 23 of the swiveled top 1, which penetrates the perforation 21, and the hexagonal sweep-bar 2, which penetrates the perforation 22, may be made of such a size as almost or slightly to spread said plates apart on the opposite sides of the hexagonal perforations 21 and 22. The result of this construction is that when the hexagonal stem 23 and the hexagonal sweepbar 2 are inserted in the perforations 21 and 22 and the set-screws 24 and 25 are tightened the extensions of the plates 16 and 17, forming the arms 19 and 20 of the elbow l5, bite the end of the stem 23 and the sweep-bar 2 tightly like a pair of jaws and hold same fast. While I do not intend to limit my invention strictly to the use of hexagonal bars or rods and hexagonal perforations, yet I have found that same are vitally and radically superior for the construction of a brace over other forms that may be employed, for the reason that they provide an adequate bearing-surface, so that the parts of a brace so constructed are bound tightly together in the manner hereinabove just set forth. This is very important as securing proper strength and rigidity in the brace, while at the same time allowing of its easy and convenient adjustment when it is desired to reduce the sweep of the brace or when it is desired to knock down the brace for shipment or assemble same for use.

Through the elbow 14 is the horizontal hex: agonal perforation 26, which receives the end of the upper sweep-bar 2 opposite to that which is held in perforation 22. A corresponding horizontal perforation 27 is found in the elbow 13, and same receives the end of the sweep-bar 2 opposite to that which is held in perforation 12. Vertical perforations 28 in elbows 13 and 14 receive hexagonal ends of the handle 3, said perforations 28 being also hexagonal in form. Set-screws 25 bind the arms of the elbows 11, 13, and 14 over the ends of the sweep-bars 2 and also to hold the hexagonal ends of the handle 3.

When it is desired to reduce the sweep of the brace, the set-screws 25, closing the horizontal perforations 22 and 26 and 12 and 27, are loosened and the upper and lower sweepbars 2 are moved through said perforations 12, 27, 22, and 26 as much as may be desired to shorten their length. For this purpose in order that the adjustment may be equal for both the upper and the lower sweep-bars gage-marks 29 are placed on the sweep-bars 2. These may be as close together as is desired and may have the distances marked or indicated thereon. It will be observed that the bend of the elbows 13 and 14 will take up a certain amount of the length of the sweepbars 2 when the same are pushed therethrough and protruded therefrom without said sweepbars extending farther out to the right than the line of the handle 3. On the other side of the brace the sweep-bars may be protruded through the openings or perforations 12 and 22 not only to the extent of the bend of the elbows 11 and 15, but additionally to an extent that would bring same in line with the extreme opposite point of the circumference of the top 1. This would be the extreme limit of adjustment and would be adequate for all occasions in which such a tool could be used. It will of course be obvious that in many instances and on all ordinary occasions the brace would not be adjusted to so large an extent; but it might be necessary, for instance, to adjust the sweep-bars 2 only through and in relation to the elbows 13 and 14.

From what has already been said in describing the adjustment of the sweep of the brace, as well as the description of the construction of the joint-making elbows, it will be evident that when it is desired to knock down the brace for shipment it will be expedient to loosen the set-screws 25, governing the perforations 22, 26, 27, and 12, which will allow of the removal of the sweep-bars 2 from the elbows 11, 13, 14, and 15 and reduce the brace to five parts, which will lie nicely side by side and be adapted to be packed in extremely small compass-namely, the top with elbow 15 still attached, the two sweep-bars, the handie with elbows 13 and 14 still attached, and

the chuck-holder with elbow 11 still attached thereto.

While I have described one form of jointmaking elbow, yet if it be thought undesirable to have the arm 20 protrude below the horizontal line of the upper sweep-bar 2, as shown in Fig. 1, and, furthermore, objectionable to have a similar corresponding upward projection from the elbow 11, as shown in the same figure, the alternative or modified form of construction depicted in Figs. 6, 7, and 8 may be used. In this construction the plate 17, for instance, would be elongated and lap around and form the perforation 30, and its tongue 31 would be bent up and opposite the main portion of the plate, and the set-screw 32 would attach the tongue portion 31 to the main portion of the plate 17, forming the same kind of a clamp as hereinabove described.

Another modification may consist in the construction of the elbows in the manner illustrated in Fig. 9, in which while the elbow retains the general characteristics hereinabove set forth the means of tightening same upon the portions to be connected thereby is simplified by reducing the number of set-screws or like means that need to be used. .In this form each elbow will be made of one piece having at each end a perforation 33 of the same kind as illustrated in the primary form; but the opposite sides of this loop of metal will be brought adjacent to each other near the middle 34, at which point a single screw 35 will tighten the ends containing the perforations around the sweep-bars 2 or other part to be held.

Having thus described my said invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an adjustable knockdown brace, the combination of sweep-bars and a handle borne thereby, a top and a chuck-holder also borne by said sweep-bars, and perforated elbows connecting said handle at both ends to the sweepbars, and perforated elbows connecting said tical perforations, the horizontal perforations receiving one end of each of said sweep-bars, and said chuck-holder being provided with a horizontal perforation to receive one end of the lower sweep-bar, substantially as described.

3. In an adjustable knockdown brace, the combination of a top, a pair of sweep-bars, a handle, and a chuck-holder, said top being united to the upper sweep-bar by an elbow, the latter containing a perforation formed by a piece or pieces of metal adapted to be brought in close contact with the upper sweep-bar by means of a set-screw, an elbow-joint having a similar perforation and set-screw to receive the other end of said sweep-bar and connect same to the handle, an elbow-joint like that last described at the other end of the handle and adapted to receive the lower sweep-bar, and means connected with the chuck-holder for attaching same to the other end of the lower sweep-bar, substantially as described.

4:. In a device of the type described, the combination of atop, a handle, and a chuck-holder, sweep-bars intermediate respectively between said top and handle and said chuck-holder and handle, said sweep-bars being hexagonal in form, and said top being provided with a member having a horizontal perforation hexagonal in form, said chuck-holder being provided with a member having a horizontal perforation hexagonal in form, and said handle being provided 5. In an adjustable knockdown brace, a connection for the top with the upper sweep-bar, having therein a horizontal perforation, a sweep-bar fitting therein and adapted to be removed therefrom or adjusted therein, a handle provided with members having horizontal perforations adapted to receive the sweep-bars in an adjustable removable manner, and a chuck-holder also provided with a member having a horizontal perforation adapted to receive in an adjustable and removable manner one end of the lower sweep-bar, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have afl ixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 29th day of June, 1904:.

GEORGE M. D. HEARD.

Witnesses:

HUGH K. WAGNER, GLADYs WALTON. 

